Winthrop Outlasts Georgia Southern in Five Sets
9/19/2009 2:46:00 AM | Volleyball
ROCK HILL, S.C. - Bethany Sanford's game-high 21 kills were not enough for the Georgia Southern volleyball team to overcome Winthrop in the second game of day one at the Wingate Inn Invitational. Georgia Southern and Winthrop traded sets as the Eagles hit .266 for the match. Georgia Southern fell to 8-5 overall this season, while Winthrop improved to 7-5.
Recording 64 kills, 58 assists and 71 digs, Georgia Southern struck .266 from the floor in five sets to Winthrop's 58 kills, 55 assists and 57 digs for a .198 hitting percentage. GSU was led by Sanford (Avondale, Ariz.) with 21 kills, followed by Lauren Claybaugh (Danville, Calif.) who added 15. Freshman Kate Van Dyke (Shawnee, Kan.) posted 50 assists as senior Cristin Haines (Palos Heights, Ill.) recorded a game-high 20 digs.
Georgia Southern got off to a slow start in the opening set as Winthrop went up 4-0 partially by two Eagle errors. Three Eagle kills by three contributors pulled Georgia Southern to within one at 6-5. But a 3-0 run by Winthrop widened the score to 9-5, forcing a GSU timeout. Seven tied scores would follow with the last tie at 20-all before Winthrop pulled away with a three-point lead at 23-20. Winthrop closed out the opening set, 25-23.
GSU wasted no time attacking early in the second set, opening with a quick 13-4 lead before a Winthrop timeout. The Eagles hit .455 from the floor recording 18 kills led by Sanford and Claybaugh, who each posted six. Georgia Southern's largest lead occurred at 22-7 before securing the second set, 25-11, thereby evening the match at 1-all.
Both teams battled in the third set that witnessed 11 ties and four lead changes. Winthrop tied the score for the final time at 17 apiece before taking the last lead. Winthrop capped off the set with three Eagle errors, three kills and a service ace from Kristin Cruse.
Winthrop opened the fourth set gaining the early advantage, but it would be short-lived as Georgia Southern tied the match at 10-all. Winthrop managed to regain the lead between the next six ties before Georgia Southern gained the lead for the first time since 2-1. The Eagles closed out the set with kills from Sanford and Hannah Nelson (Norcross, Ga.), securing the stanza off a Winthrop error at 25-22. GSU evened the match at 2-all, forcing a deciding fifth set.
Claybaugh posted three kills in the final set, but was matched by Winthrop's Kellie Sellers. Winthrop kept the set close as the teams tossed the lead back-and-forth. Tied at 10-all, Winthrop went up 11-10 before Claybaugh's second kill of the set evened the game at 11-all. But Winthrop posted a 4-1 run to close out the set, 15-12, securing the match with it.
Georgia Southern closes out the Wingate Inn Invitational tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. The Eagles take on Gardner-Webb for their final fall tournament match before opening Southern Conference play next week.
